


Sunshine in Your Smile

by Griffindork



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, literally so soft?, nobody ask me how I wrote this much on this topic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 22:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19282768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griffindork/pseuds/Griffindork
Summary: “Oh.” She steps towards Belle, eyeing the black scraggly ball in her arms. It’s single handedly the scruffiest thing she’s ever seen.





	Sunshine in Your Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Alex!

Vanessa’s just getting back to the surgery after visiting a particularly muddy farm - and really all she wants, the only thing that will make her feel slightly better, is a nice warm bath with copious amounts of bubbles and then maybe a nice cuddle on the couch with Charity. But as she walks through the door Pearl isn’t sat at her usual seat and the door into the consultation room is left wide open.

“Guys?” She shouts out stepping inside curiously. She’s only met with the slight echo of her own voice. She tuts, quickly checking everything is still where it needs to be - thrice bitten and all that. Nothing is missing, no medication, no animals, no equipment and she’s just about tired and grumpy enough to leave it at that, hurrying in counting her medical bag back into the cupboard.

“Oh look!”

Vanessa pauses curiously, straightening and stilling as she strains to listen.

“Look she’s trying to catch her tail!”

“Belle?” She calls out, locking the doors of the medicine cabinet securely and walking inquisitively towards Rhona’s door. “Paddy?”

There’s no doubt muddy footprints in her wake but she goes to step into Rhona’s kitchen regardless, too tired to bend and pull them off. She’s pulled up short though, hand on heart as it hammers against her ribs.

“Now.” Pearl warns seriously, head poking through the gap of the door she’d pulled open before Vanessa could reach it.

“Pearl!” 

“Prepare yourself.” She soldiers on like she hasn’t very nearly given Vanessa her second near death experience of the year. 

“What?” But Pearl just pulls the door wider open, beckoning her in with a grin and her glasses sliding further down her nose. Vanessa steps in, confused beyond belief, eyeing Pearl a little worriedly.

“Oh.” She steps towards Belle, eyeing the black scraggly ball in her arms. It’s singlehandedly the scruffiest thing she’s ever seen, with a long fur coat she’s pretty sure she’d lose her hand in and never find it again, floppy ears almost big enough to hide her eyes, brown and big and utterly heart melting. She’s all long, ambling legs that hang from Belle’s arms where she holds onto her with a grin wide enough to split her face in two. There’s a suspicious stain left behind on Belle’s overcoat when she puts the dog down and she trott’s her way delicately towards Vanessa. “She’s filthy.”

“But gorgeous.” Paddy counters smartly. His eyes are fixed on the puppy like he’s deeply, deeply in love, and he pushes his glasses up his nose with a soppy smile.

Vanessa can’t help it, she kneels down, eye level with the little mongrel. Her hands stroke gently down her bony head as hot breath washes over Vanessa’s face and she excitedly pushes into Vanessa’s hands, turning and arching excitedly, unable to stand still as her tail wags rapidly. Vanessa laughs, almost knocked over by the pup edging ever closer to her.

“Where’s she from?” She asks as her hands are licked happily and noisily.

“Dunno.” Belle shrugs.

“Cain just said he found her in the fields.” Paddy expands, eyes still fixated on the scruffy ball of fur. “Brought her in not ten minutes before you got back from Jameson’s.”

“Didn’t stick around to see if she was alright then?” She asks, pursing her lips unamusedly at that man. From the periphery of her gaze she sports Belle roll her eyes good naturedly. “So, what’s all this?” She asks after a sigh, rubbing her fingers together disgustedly now they’re coated in whatever filth coats the dog before her.

“No idea.” Belle says. “We’re just about to bath her and put her down for the night.”

“Oh.” Paddy gasps, pulling up straight. He pushes his glasses up his nose nervously, looking between the three women and the dog. “W-we can’t leave her here. Alone. All night.”

“What d’you mean?” Vanessa asks, scowling. “What else are we going to do with her?”

“We do it with every animal, dear.” Pearl says haughtily from her seat at the table.

“Well-” Paddy stops, pushing at his glasses again. “I was thinking that-”

“No.” Vanessa stops him dead and he shushes, looking slightly sheepish. “We can’t. No matter how gorgeous she is. They’d never let us.”

“But!” Paddy bluster’s. “We thought that about the whole Kim thing too.” He nods between them all. “Look at us now. We have brunch every week with Kim in the pub. A-and Jamie works here too. We’re practically teeming with Tate’s.”

“Paddy.” Belle mutters, almost disappointedly.

“P-point being!” He blunders on regardless. “Maybe they’re not as adverse to-to these things as we think.”

“I think.” Vanessa pushes up to standing as the dog begins to itch relentlessly behind her ear, groaning in satisfaction. “She’s got fleas and we’ve got babies-”

“They’re four years old.”

“And-” Vanessa continues, glaring Paddy into submission. “We live in a pub.”

“I thought Charity was supposed to be the grumpy one.” Pearl mutters, taking her glasses off of her face and folding them onto her chest, face twisted in displeasure. “We’ll I suppose you know what they say. You are what you-"

“Pearl!” Vanessa argues, slightly embarrassed as she feels her cheeks heat. Pearl only shrugs nonchalantly and Vanessa’s embarrassment is forgotten in the wake of defensiveness. “Charity isn’t grumpy.”

“Well, I mean. Maybe a little bit.” Belle laughs, pinching her fingers together.

“She’s just-”

“Grumpy.” Paddy agrees with a decisive nod, hand slapping the table like a judges gavel.

“Maybe if you picked up after yourself, she wouldn’t trip over your great big shoes.” Vanessa says hotly, arms folding. “Or maybe even if you cleaned up after you’ve had a bath.” She feels annoyance crawling through her, already short tempered after getting stuck in the pig pit at Jameson’s earlier and now doubly so as they all laugh at Charity. “Or, maybe, if you’d get one of those,” she waves hand near his face, “nasal strips for snoring.”

“Oh-ho-ho.” Belle chortles, looking at Paddy’s beet red face. “I never had you down as not cleaning up after yourself.”

“I-I do!” He defends. “Anyway! This isn’t about me. This is about little Bella.”

“Oh we are not calling her Bella.”

“We aren’t calling her anything Belle.” Vanessa shakes her head. “She’s gorgeous.” The dog in question looks up at her like she knows Vanessa’s talking about her and she bounds back away from Pearl, jumping up at Vanessa’s knees eagerly, tongue lolling out. “But it just wouldn’t work.”

“It’s only for tonight.” Pearl edges. “And look at her. Do you want to leave her in a cage, alone all night with Badger in there.”

“Badger?” Vanessa asks, picturing Mrs Rawson’s snappy little Jack Russell. ‘Bella’ looks at her with wide eyes.

-

“You can tell them.” Vanessa mutters as they round to the back of the pub.

“W-what?” Paddy asks, pulling up short.

The lead continues to weave around them, the newly clean puppy wrapping around them. She’s almost had Vanessa over three times on the five minute walk.

“Can’t you?”

“Paddy!”

“Will you two get a move on!” Belle shouts back to them, waving a tennis ball to gain the attention of the pup. “It’s about to rain.”

“Go on.” Vanessa mutters, shoving Paddy in front of her. She looks around, eyeing the bins, before she steps last through the back, closing it securely behind her and turning the latch.

“Ah!” Vanessa very distinctly hears the scream of Chas before she rounds the corner into the back room and spots the woman in question, almost hiding behind a chair at the table. “What’s that?”

“A puppy.” Paddy answers lowly.

“Why is it here?” She asks sharply, eyes narrowing.

“W-well.” He pauses, chest puffing in faux confidence. “W-we thought,” his finger points between himself and Vanessa, “t-that she could s-stay the night?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah.” Vanessa jumps in quickly. “Just, well, she’s only a baby. And we didn’t really want to leave her with Badger all night. He’d probably bully her.”

“A badger would bully her?” Chas asks incredulously, she looks between them for some sought of explanation.

“Well, no, not A badger. Badger the dog would.” Belle points out helpfully, sitting on the sofa and bending to stroke at the puppy’s belly as she rolls before her, tail beating a pattern against the floor. Vanessa can’t help but smile as her tongue lolls out of the side of her mouth in contentment, almost smiling as she’s scratched.

“So you’ve bought that flea bitten-”

“We’ve just given her the drops!” Paddy argues quickly.

“-mutt,” Chas continues regardless, pointing accusingly at the dog in question, rolling under Belle’s excited baby talk, “into my pub because it was going to be bullied?”

“Yes?” Vanessa asks.

“Everything alright, babe?” Charity asks, edging into the room from the stairs. “I heard a scream. Oh.” She smiles brightly, spotting Vanessa. “Hiya babe.” She strides over and drops a peck on Vanessa’s lips. “Good day?”

“Erm.”

“Ask that.” Chas interrupts loudly, pointing down at the floor angrily.

“Belle?” Charity asks, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Hiya.” Belle waves happily.

“No, you plonker. That.” Chas practically growls.

Charity steps around the couch, head tilting around to get a look. She stops short when she sees, jaw dropping ever so slightly and arms automatically folding. Her eyes find Vanessa’s quickly, searching for an explanation.

Vanessa smiles, shoulders pulling up in an almost shrug. “We just thought that-”

“We’re no longer a pub.” Chas can’t hold herself back any more and she burst out, coming from around the table and striding to Charity’s side. They stand, a mirror to each other in their distaste. “We’re now a bullied dogs sanctuary.”

“A what?” Charity asks, straining her head like she’s not heard that right.

“We thought that it would be better for her to have a night of peace after her ordeal.” Paddy manages matter of factly. “Cain brought her to us-”

"Oh I might’ve known that idiot’d have something to do with this.” Charity grumbles mostly to herself. 

“-and she’d been in that field for god knows how long.” Belle continues after Paddy stops short. “I mean, look at her.” Belle’s hands run down the dogs side gently, feeling the protruding bones. “She’s starving. And the last thing she would’ve needed was for Badger the Jack Russell growling at her all night.”

“Badger the Jack Russell?” Charity asks. She turns to Vanessa incredulously. “Why do they never have normal names?”

Vanessa snorts, stepping forward so she’s close enough to nudge Charity’s shoulder with her own. She feel’s Charity’s laugh vibrate against her as her arm comes to rest around Vanessa’s shoulders, face turned down into Vanessa’s hair for just a second before she looks back out to the room.

“I am pregnant.” Chas is arguing as Vanessa tunes back in, leaning into Charity’s side. “And you brought a bucket full of germs into the house, Paddy.”

“A-actually.” Paddy dares, finger pointed up as he interrupts Chas’ momentum. “Kids who have a pet in the house have higher immune systems. So Moses and Johnny a-and baby,” he nods at Chas’ stomach fondly, glasses pushed up his nose again, “will get something from this too. A-as well as responsibility, y-you know because of the care and t-the walks and food and-”

“Yeah, Paddy, I think she gets it.” Belle stops him gently.

“It’s just for tonight.” Vanessa tries hopefully.

Charity looks quickly between Belle still on the floor, grinning so wide it makes her heart hurt that it’s been so long, and Vanessa watching her happily, blue eyes meeting hers hopefully. She winks at the woman she loves and throws her one free hand up before her, heaving a sigh. “What harm can one night do, eh?”

“Little Bella only wants a cuddle.” Paddy’s pet lips comes out, edging closer to Chas though he can’t hide his smile as she obviously melts.  
“We are not calling her Bella.” Charity dismisses loudly.

-

It must be early when Vanessa opens her eyes, the house still silent. Her arm is dead but Charity’s still sleeping, head on Vanessa’s chest, so she settles for wiggling her fingers, tapping out a mindless pattern on Charity’s hip. It’d taken a while to get the pup settled for the night, a soft bed taken from the surgery and an old blanket of Moses’ and Vanessa had even snuck in a soft toy she’d also stolen from the practice. But eventually the pup had settled, tucked up securely.

_‘It’s not a baby.’_ Chas had moaned as Paddy was all but dragged up to bed. _‘There’s no badger here. I’m sure she’ll be fine.’_

Charity had laughed and wandered up the stairs behind Vanessa for the night. _‘Hey’_ she’d said when they were alone on the landing, almost to their room, _‘the boys are going to lose their minds in the morning.’_

And yeah, Vanessa hadn’t thought of that. How the boys would go mad with excitement the second the see the scruffy ball of fur, clamour to stroke her and lover her and cuddle her. She thinks about their little smiles though and she can’t be too worried. Even Noah, she thinks, will at least crack a grimace. But that leaves Chas and she debates for a second that maybe she should get up early, make sure there’s been no accidents in the night, walk her around the village to try and knock some of the bouncing energy down a peg or two.

“You know, sometimes,” Charity slurs, voice still thick with sleep, “you could be quieter.”

“I haven’t said a word.” Vanessa laughs, her fingers stop tapping.

“I can hear you ticking away.” Charity sighs, and she leans up, chin resting on Vanessa’s chest, to meet her eyes with her own, concerned eyes. “Penny for them?”

“Only a penny?” Vanessa pushes messy hair away from Charity’s face so she can see her properly. She’s gorgeous like this, first thing in a morning, messy and unkempt and fresh from sleep. “Thinking about Bella.” She sighs eventually.

“We are not calling her Bella.” Vanessa laughs at her adamant denial. “We can call her,” and she pauses, looking about the room for a second, “Ramsbottom, if you like, but I refuse Bella.”

“What’s wrong with Bella?”

“Paddy chose it.”

“Charity.”

“What?” Charity laughs innocently, shrugging. Vanessa nips her hip in reprimand and Charity yelps, pulling away. “Don’t act like I’m not highly amusing.”

“You’re highly something.” Vanessa agrees easily.

“Oh.” Charity bites her lip, swinging her leg over to straddle Vanessa’s hips, nodding as she goes. “I’m something alright.”

-

When they wander down a bit later, still giggling as they go, there’s faint voices coming from the back room and Charity pulls her through the door where their fingers are intertwined.

“Oh, morning.” Chas says, and Vanessa can tell by the tightness of her smile that she’s not happy. “I was just telling Paddy here,” and Paddy, from his seat at the table, looking slightly like a scalded school child, nods towards them, “that Bella-”

“Not Bella.”

“The dog.” Chas corrects herself, unamused and sharp. “Has to go.”

“Aw why?” Vanessa asks, looking towards the dog in question as she stands between them all, unsure, but tail still wagging so fast her bum wiggles. She pants up at her, brown eyes meeting heres and Vanessa turns back to Chas, a little broken.

“There were puddles,” Chas demonstrates by waving her hands about in-front of her like she’s afraid she’s about to touch one again, “all over and a. Particular present left.”

“Oh.” Charity says, biting her lips to stop from laughing.

“It’s not funny.”

“No.” Charity agrees weakly. “No that’s very naughty.” She wags a finger down at the pup in mock chastisement. 

“And besides.” Chas carries on, turning back to Paddy. “One night you said.”

“Y-yes, b-but we still don’t have anywhere to put her.”

“Take her to a shelter.” Chas replies hotly. “The RSPCA will take her, Dogs Trust. The Pound.”

“We are not taking her to the Pound.” Vanessa says quickly, head shaking.

“I don’t care where you take her. I nearly broke my flippin neck this morning slipping in that.”

“You stood in it?” Charity asks, voice shaking with laughter again.

“Yes.” Is the reply through gritted teeth.

“Oh.” Charity mutters, coughing to hide her escalating laughter.

“It’s not funny.”

“No.” Her head shakes and then she holds her hands out in protection when Chas continues to glare at her cousin.

“Anyway, I was thinking.” Vanessa interrupts loudly as Chas goes to chastise Charity further. “We could put some posters up in the surgery, see if anyone claims her.”

“She was dumped Vanessa, I doubt that will happen.” Paddy dismisses quickly.

“But we should give them the chance, right? Maybe she ran away?”

“And what if they were horrible to her?” Paddy’s head shakes. “We can’t send her back to them.”

“We wouldn’t.” Vanessa says quickly, head shaking and stomach twisting at the possibility. “But there might be someone out there looking for her.”

“Right.” Chas nods eagerly. “So, she’s going back to the vets tonight.”

“Isn’t Badger there?” Charity points out, she receives her third glare of the morning from Chas and she grimaces in response.

“Oh, no, no. You said one night.”

“Two?” Paddy chances, high pitched.

-

Just as Vanessa thought would happen, the squeals from the two youngest of their boys are enough to deafen. Moses, barely awake and stumbling before, bounds over and meets the pup halfway in the middle of the back room once he spots her, Johnny only slightly behind him. They’re equally showered in sloppy kisses and they laugh, high pitched and happy as she runs circles around them excitedly. 

“We’re going to have to bath them at this rate.” Vanessa mutters as she spots bits of fur sticking to the boys hands and face, cuddled as she is in Charity’s arms as they watch their boys with equal grins. 

“They’re having a wash right now.” Charity shrugs behind her.

“Don’t be gross.”

“What?” Charity pulls back, high pitched in faux indignation. “Save on the water bill that will.”

Vanessa laughs, pulling her fiance back in, heart fit to bursting as the sounds of their boys laughter fills the room.

Noah is next, a little later in the day. He wanders in, rubbing at his eyes. At first he doesn’t spot the boys sat together on the floor, eyes wide with wonder as they watch the pups belly rise and fall, gentle in her slumber. He stumbles towards the fridge and pulls out some orange juice and it’s only when he turns to them that he spots them all, sat silent.

“What’s wrong?” He asks, panic taking over his features for a moment.

“Shush!” Moses warns quickly.

“We have a guest.” Vanessa explains quietly, nodding to the guest in question.

He follows her motion, and his eyes widen comically from behind the still suspended juice bottle.

“Eh?” He asks, looking to Charity for explanation.

“Only for a little while.” She says, hand almost rising in warning. “But soft apeth here, didn’t want her to be bullied.”

“Bullied?” He asks but he doesn’t wait for an answer, he puts the juice on the table and makes his way quickly around it. When he gets closer his hand reaches out slowly, almost hesitantly.

“She’s ‘sleep!” Johnny protests and Vanessa has to lean forward to stop him from jumping up in protest.

“Er, Mister.” She says in warning. “Noah is allowed to stroke her because he’s a big boy.” Johnny looks to her like he’s about to wail a protest and she gives him a warning look and he sobers, albeit with a scowl and forcefully folded arms. “Remember we have to share.”

“I’ve shared with Moz!” Moses nods eagerly in thorough agreement.

“Yes you have, Johnnybobs.” Charity promises, leaning into Vanessa’s side and pulling her back slightly. “How about, when she’s awake, we can take her for a walk.”

Both Johnny and Moses look at each other and grin, nodding quickly, almost starstruck by Charity and her suggestion and Vanessa can’t help but feel her heart so full as they rush to tidy up at her suggestion.

“Thank you.” She mouths over Noah’s head as they lean back into the couch together, Vanessa securely tucked under Charity’s arm. Charity just drops a peck on her nose.

“Noah?” Charity asks almost hesitantly. “Wanna join us?”

“For a walk?” His face twists at the prospect, he looks at the hopeful rise in her eyebrows and Vanessa watches him compute the question. “With you guys?”

“Well.” Charity sighs, she waves her hand like it doesn’t matter to her but Vanessa sees the disappointment behind her facade and her fingers squeeze at her thigh in comfort. “If you’d rather fester in your room all day.”

Noah’s brown eyes meet Vanessa’s for just a second and then he looks between the pup and the boys, still busy cleaning all the toys they’d tried to offer her, and then back to his mum. He shakes his head. “I’ll come with you.”

“Yeah?” He nods just once and fixes his attention on the pup and Charity’s hand grips at Vanessa’s shoulder excitedly.

“Has she not got a name?” Noah asks after a moment, he looks up just in time to catch Vanessa wink at Charity.

“No.” Vanessa shakes her head, she watches Noah’s face twist sadly.

“She hasn’t got a tag or one of those microchips?”

“No. Nothing.” Vanessa sighs. “But we are going to put posters up in the vet’s to see if anyone’s missing her. But about all we know is that she’s a she and she’s about four/five months old and she’s quite badly malnourished.” She leans down and pats the dog gently. 

“But she’ll be alright?” Noah questions quietly, looking to Vanessa innocently for all the answers.

She nods calmly at him, offering him her most reassuring smile. “Yeah. We just have to watch what we feed her for now.”

Noah stays quiet, like he’s digesting the information and then he nods like he’s formed a plan in his mind. “But we won’t let her go to bad owners.” He says decisively. “Like, if they’ve thrown her out we won’t let them take her back?”

“No.” Vanessa promises.

“Er.” Charity hisses. “Can you actually stop that?”

“Yeah.” She nods, though she doesn’t actually know for certain, but she’ll find a way. “Anyway come on. We should try burn some energy before Chas finishes her shift.”

“Is that the dog or the kids?” Charity laughs, hands sliding down Vanessa’s back and over her bum, reluctant to give up contact as she stands before her.

“Both?” Vanessa shrugs, holding her hands out to pull Charity up too. She watches wearily as Moses and Johnny try to get their wellies on each other. “Boys those are the wrong feet!”

-

Vanessa puts the poster in the middle of the board the next day she’s back at work, pinning it securely. Paddy stands behind her, arms folded unhappily.

“Still say Bella’s a better name.” He says grumpily.

“You’re about the only one.” Vanessa laughs, leaning with him against Pearl’s desk as they appraise the poster board.

_“Can we name her?”_ Noah had asked in the middle of their walk.

_“Any ideas?”_ Vanessa had nudged, swinging her’s and Charity’s linked hands between them as he slunked besides them, his hands in his pockets.

_“Paddy thinks Bella.”_ Charity told him with a laugh. _“Careful!”_ She’d shouted then, panicked as the two youngest of their boys ran rings around the pup in question.

“Bella?” Noah had pulled up in disgust and Charity cackled victoriously.

“It suits.” Paddy argues weakly, but he already knows the arguments lost as Vanessa just pats his arm in sympathy. “But Angus?” He asks, frowning.

“Charity picked it.” Vanessa shrugs as Paddy’s face morphs into a pout. “Hey, it’s better than Thing Four, which was her first choice.”

Paddy looks like he considers it for a second and then sighs in agreement. He pushes up, making his way into the surgery room and then pulls up short, his head poking back out, frowning in confusion. “Why Four?”

Vanessa laughs, grinning. “Because Noah is Thing One, Moses is Thing Two and Johnny is Thing Three.” Noah had cackled beside his mother as she’d explained her reasoning, tickling each of their youngest in turn as she named them. Vanessa had looked down at the dog in sympathy, even as she danced in front of Charity, waiting for her turn to be tickled.

“No.” Vanessa had said definitively, even as she was booed by her fiance and their boys in a loud chorus. “We can’t.” She’d laughed as Charity turned her tickling on her.  
“And you let Charity name her after that?”

Vanessa shrugs, feeling full with happiness as she looks at Paddy and explains. “Angus loves her.” And she does. It’s been a week now and somehow Charity is the one Angus follows around the house (something Paddy had been a bit put out at), Charity who she has taken to cuddling on a night (but only when Chas isn’t in the room. “We are not letting her on the furniture.” She’d said in warning. But Charity invites her up regardless), it’s Charity who Angus looks too in a room full of people, curling up at her feet, squashing into any space to be close to her.

“I feed her.” Charity had explained matter of factly, smiling smugly as Vanessa stood before her fiancé and the dog that had taken her space on the sofa.  
Paddy harrumphs and disappears behind the door. 

-

When Vanessa gets home that night and tells them the poster had gone up she doesn’t miss the frown that darkens Noah’s face in disappointment, or the way Charity’s own happy smile falters just slightly.

“Well, maybe they’ll come forward.” Charity tries bravely, looking between them all. “I’m sure someone is missing her, ey, scruffball?” She scratches behind Angus’s ears and Angus’s leg thumbs in deep satisfaction.

“She’s happy here.” Noah says moodily.

“So.” Charity says later that night as the boys are all tucked up in bed and she and Vanessa get ready to get in their own. “We didn’t really think through the boys getting attached, eh?”

“No.” Vanessa admits worriedly, biting her lip.

“Hey.” Charity murmurs softly. “Come ‘ere.” And Vanessa crawls up the bed to tuck herself under Charity’s chin. Charity pulls the quilt over them, kissing her forehead. “It’ll sort.”

-

Vanessa’s sat doing paperwork with Rhona when there’s a gentle tap at the surgery door and Belle leans into the room. “Hey.” She says. “There’s someone here saying they’re Angus’ owner.”

“Oh.” Vanessa pulls up in shock. “Right.” Belle smiles at her sadly as she stands and Rhona patts her hand in sympathy. She pulls at her jumper to make sure she’s presentable and walks into the reception. “Hi.” She says kindly, holding her hand out.

The man looks her up and down for a moment, face not cracking an inch. He ignores her hand decisively and sniffs noisily. “Heard you’ve got my dog.”

“Yes.” Vanessa answers quickly, maybe too loudly.

“Well are you gonna get her or not, love?” He asks impatiently, looking at her like she’s dumb.

“Right.” Vanessa says again, unsure how to take the man before her, with his beady, mean eyes and his sharp demeanour. “Yeah.” He raises his eyebrows at her as he watches her hesitate. “This way.”

He tuts loudly, eyes rolling to the sky. “Can’t you just bring ‘er ‘ere.” It’s not a question.

“No.” Vanessa decides, even though she very easily could have. “Actually, I can’t get her now.” And she sees Belle look at her in shock for a split second before a placating smile takes over, coming to stand at Vanessa’s shoulder. “You can leave your number with Belle here and we can name a better time. Unfortunately,” she tries, really, to sound genuine in that, “we’re a bit busy today.”

“You’re empty.” He argues, looking about the room exaggeratedly.

“But busy.”

He growls but otherwise does as she’s said, leaving the surgery with a hard slam of the door. It’s only when she’s gone that Vanessa feels her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

“He was lovely.” Belle says with disdain.

“A peach.” Rhona says from behind, where she’s leant against the door frame with her arms folded.

“How’re you gonna explain to the kids?” Belle asks worriedly, watching Vanessa shrug.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“Think you might be half way across it.” Rhona heaves a sigh and holds her hands up in defence before her, dropping them back against her thighs with a slap when Vanessa scowls at her. “Anyway, come on missus, we’ve got numbers to crunch.”

-

When Vanessa steps through the door that night she’s met by chaos. Noah sits on the couch, Angus tucked under his arm protectively as he looks up between the adults stood around him. Marlon’s hands gesticulate wildly, his face beet red and Chas stands behind him, her own arms folded tightly, face a myriad of annoyance.

“Everything okay?” She edges as she steps into the room.

“Does everything look okay, Vanessa?” Marlon snaps, turning to look at her and bending as he does to get a point across. Vanessa recoils from his anger.

“Oi!” Charity shouts loudly, finger pointing almost aggressively at her cousin. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

“Why not, this is partly her fault isn’t it? And you!” He points at Paddy too and Vanessa suddenly understands, turning to look at Angus almost expecting her to explain. 

“She peed.” Noah steps up, shrugging at Vanessa like he doesn’t see the drama, surely it can just be cleaned up, she’s still in training, heaven knows the puppy mats at the door still trip her up. 

“In my kitchen.” Marlon shouts. “Only after she’d wrecked it, mind you. No, she wasn’t content with contaminating my zone, oh no, she had to pull the pans out all over the floor too.”

“She’s still in training?” Paddy tries weakly.

Vanessa has to try very, very hard to not smile openly at Marlon’s indignant, spluttering rage.

“Well,” Charity sighs, deadpan as her head shakes in consolation, “you’ve been moaning about wanting to do a deep clean. Now you can.” And Vanessa reddoubles her efforts not to laugh out loud.

“A deep.” Marlon stutters, stopping himself and pulling up short. “A deep clean?”

“Yeah.” Chas consoles, she pats him on the arm. “You should get too that, eh?”

“I should-” He looks to Paddy like he expects some sort of backup and when his best friend just refuses to meet his eyes, he shakes his head in dismay, stomping from the room.

Angus yaps from her place, just to add insult to injury and Charity smiles fondly at the tiny pup. “You.” She says, eyeing Angus’ brown eyes in loving disappointment. “Have to behave or we might just kick you back out to the streets.”

“No we won’t.” Paddy argues quickly and Chas turns her crumpled forehead to him, shaking her head in dismay. 

“No, Paddy.” Charity rolls her eyes. “I’m joking.”

“He is right though.” Chas interrupts as Charity looks at Vanessa in faux indignation and Vanessa grins at her giddily. “What if we’d had a surprise drop in from the food hygiene people, they would’ve closed the kitchen down.”

“Babe,” Charity gasps, “there’s no point worrying about something that hasn’t happened. And won’t.” She adds. “That pizza place up in Hotten has a whole family of rats living out back, I’m sure Mr Health-and-Safety will stop there first.”

“You don’t know that Charity.” Chas snaps, head shaking quickly as it does when she can’t deal with Charity’s charity-ness.

“Point is,” Charity sighs heavily, “it didn’t happen. So we’re all good. Angus here will just be locked up in here while Noah and Doctor Doolittle train her properly.” Green eyes wink in Vanessa’s direction and Vanessa’s heart skips a beat, seeing that cheeky smile on the face of the woman she loves. 

“That’s not the answer, Charity!”

“Well it won’t have to be like this for much longer.” Vanessa interrupts, having had enough of Chas’ righteousness where Charity is concerned, no matter if she is justified.

“What do you mean?” Noah asks quickly, looking between Charity who falls heavily onto the couch beside him, her head resting on the back and looking up at Vanessa, waiting for an explanation herself. They both have matching confused, furrowed brows and Vanessa takes a second to appreciate just how similar they are in so many ways. She hadn’t expected to feel this much love a year ago. She claps her hands together, more to herself than anyone, sparing Chas and Paddy one last glance before she steps around to sit on the arm of the couch, giving in to the little head nudging her for a pet and letting her hands get licked to high heaven. “Well, it seems the posters worked. ‘Skye’s’ owners are coming to pick her up tomorrow.”

-

“I mean. Skye.” Charity grumbles besides Vanessa. “That’s a stupid name.”

“And Angus isn’t?” Chas asks, laughing from her own table besides the one Charity and Vanessa occupy in the beer garden.

“It suits her.” Vanessa defends and Charity sticks her tongue out at her cousin. Vanessa elbows her playfully and Charity mouths an over exaggerated ‘ow’ at her. “Aww.” Vanessa pouts, she turns to face Charity proper, hand rubbing where her elbow had nudged, Charity grinning down at her. “That better?”

“No.” Charity shakes her head, her own hand pulling Vanessa closer on the wooden seat they share. Her voice deepens attractively and Vanessa feels it hit somewhere deep in her gut in a way only Charity ever can. “But I know how you can make it up to me.”

“Oh?” Vanessa asks playfully.

“It involves that red-”

“Right.” Chas says loudly, pulling herself up from the seat. “I think that’s my queue to leave.”

“Aww.” Vanessa says, turning away from Charity and not missing the way her fiance scowls at her divided attentions. “Don’t go.” She’d been enjoying being sat in the sun with Charity and Chas, chatting mindlessly about Belle’s prospects not she’s started shadowing Vanessa proper and about Chas’ ideas for the baby’s room and about Charity’s grand ideas of getting an ensuite and Vanessa’s grand designs on a patio.

“These walls are thin enough.” Chas shakes her head. “I don’t need images to go with the sounds, thank you very much.”

“Don’t act like you haven’t walked in on us in the shower.” Charity snorts.

“Eh?” Vanessa gasps, turning to Charity for explanation.

“You were a little.” Charity whispers almost delicately but she can’t hide the smile tugging her lips up. “Distracted at the time?”

“I didn’t see much, love.” Chas pats at her shoulder sympathetically but Vanessa can’t bring herself to meet her eyes as Charity snorts again loudly beside her. “Anyway, what time’s he coming?” Chas heaves through a sigh but Vanessa’s still too embarrassed to pay attention to Charity’s answer or to Chas, shouting Angus over to say goodbye. She finally collects the empties from the tables around them and disappears back into the pub.

“No.” Vanessa groans, her forehead dropping to Charity’s shoulder in dismay. Charity laughs above her but holds her close regardless.

“Hey.” She says, sheek resting on top of Vanessa’s head. “You don’t need to be embarrassed, in fact you have a lot to be proud of.” When Vanessa looks up unamused, Charity’s eyebrows are wiggling suggestively and her eyes drop down to appraise fondly.

“Don’t.” Vanessa tries to fight it but she can’t help but giggle, hand coming up to cover her mouth. They should definitely take more time to lock the door in their haste. Charity joins her, eventually capturing her lips, kissing her laughter.

“He’s late.” Charity says a bit later, flicking Vanessa’s wrist to look at her watch. It’s five minutes past and Vanessa tuts.

“No he isn’t.”

“He is.” Charity argues petulantly. “You said on the hour, it’s five past. He obviously doesn’t want her.”

“You want to keep her.” Vanessa teases, poking at Charity’s nose.

“She’s good for the kids.” Charity shrugs, but it doesn’t quite ring true and Vanessa grins at her.

“You like her.” Charity laughs, purposefully not meeting Vanessa’s eyes playfully. “You wuve her.”

“You’re an idiot.” Charty finally meets her eyes, and they’re so full of fondness and warmth that Vanessa can’t help but drop a kiss, sweet and short, on her unexpectant lips.

“What’s that for?”

“Because I’m your idiot.” Charity just shakes her head, pulling her into her side, tucking her under her arm.

“Angus.” She shouts and the pup in question spins around at her name, head popping up from where she’d been laid over the way, chewing the toy Chas had bought as a way to distract the bundling ball of energy on a night. “Come here. See, she even comes to us now.” She mumbles proudly as Angus leaves her rubber bone behind to trot delicately over to their side. “Good dog.”

Vanessa joins Charity in petting the pup for a second as she looks at them all wide eyed energy and love.

“She’s been good for the kids hasn’t she?” Charity talks, more to herself that anyone else, but Vanessa nods in agreement.

“Yeah.” She agrees. After Vanessa had told the room, Noah had sulked all night, sat on the floor with Angus, playing tug of war with the rope Vanessa had let him take from the vets on one of his visits. Johnny and Moses had been harder to explain to. They’d both cried buckets, shaking their heads in vehement disagreement, still too young to really understand why Angus was leaving them so soon.

_“Angus’ real family want her back.”_ Vanessa had said softly, cupping each of the boys cheeks in her hands.

_“But we are her real family.”_ Moses had said hotly.

When they’d finally gone to bed that night Charity had whispered from her usual place, head resting on Vanessa’s chest, _“Good job we didn’t actually get them a dog, eh? Don’t think they’d take it well when we had to, you know, put ‘em to sleep.”_

“I don’t think I’ve seen Noah smile as much in such a short amount of time.” Charity contemplates quietly. “He’s really taken to her.” Vanessa hums comfortingly, hand squeezing at Charity’s thigh. He really had, feeding her on a morning, taking the time to make sure he doesn’t go above Vanessa’s instructed amount. He’s taken her out every night for a walk around the village and even taken to calling into the vets on the odd night Vanessa has worked late. Charity had gone with him sometimes and Vanessa wonders when the last time they’d done something just the two of them, before Angus wandered into their lives. Angus had even managed to sneak herself into his room for the past two nights, where she’d slept curled on the bottom of his bed. “Mangy mutt, wormed her way into this little family of ours.”

Vanessa stays quiet thinking about the past week or so, how she’s heard more laughter than moaning from each and every member of her household. Chas included, despite her grumbling.

_“She is a good dog.”_ Chas had admitted late one night while Charity snored, head resting in Vanessa’s lap, and Paddy was too engrossed in some zombie film he’d made them watch. _“She’s right nice company.”_

_“Yeah.”_ Vanessa had agreed, sharing a smile with Chas. _“She’s harmless.”_ And Angus had shifted where she was being gently showered in care from Chas, slumping tiredly over to Vanessa and Charity and forced herself into the tiny gap behind Charity’s bent knees on the couch. _“Ooof. Hello.”_ Vanessa had said as her hand was nudged from gently running through Charity’s hair to run through Angus’ shaggy mess instead.

_“I reckon she’s proper taken to you two though.”_

_“Who wouldn’t?”_ Charity had mumbled in reply, not properly awake as she moved to accommodate their new cuddle buddy, snuggling deeper into Vanessa’s lap. _“We’re great.”_

Charity sighs loudly above her. “Maybe we’ll get another one.”

“Oh, charming.” Vanessa pulls back, leaning down to the shaggy dog as covering her ears playfully. “Poor Angus, don’t listen to mean Charity.”

“She doesn’t know what I’m saying.” Charity poo-poos. “I could be saying ‘lets chop her up and serve her for breakfast’ and she’d still look at me like that.”

As if to prove her point Angus just stands before them, tongue lolling out and bum wiggling with the speed of her tail wagging. Vanessa and Charity’s laughter rings down the little back street, a symphony.

-

“So how are we going to explain this to the kids?” Vanessa asks worriedly. “To Chas?”

“Babe, you aren’t scared of Chas are you?” Charity teases, nudging Vanessa’s shoulder and then tugging her back in by their joined hands.

“No.” Vanessa laughs, head shaking. “I just feel like I should y’know,” she shrugs, “not upset her seeing as she’s-"

“Seen all your bits?” Charity waves a hand over Vanessa’s chest, voice nothing but mirth and joy.

“Stop it.” Vanessa moans pathetically, feeling her cheeks heat up. “It’s not funny!”

“It is.” Charity holds her fingers up, barely a gap between them. “A little.” Vanessa just whimpers and Charity takes pity on her. “Look it was probably worse for me, I was a little occupied at the time, if you remember.”

Vanessa does remember. Vividly. And she just shelters under Charity’s smug gaze instead of answering. Charity cackles happily.

“So.” Charity sighs eventually, as they near the pub after their walk. “I’m explaining.”

“No we can do it together.” Vanessa pushes the door open and Charity makes her walk through it first as they shuffle around in the tiny space and Charity checks over her shoulder before she locks the door behind her securely.

Vanessa barely has time to bend down and take her shoes off before Charity is whispering in her ear for her to watch this and bending down, eyes glinting mischievously.

“Charity.” Vanessa hisses but it’s already done and the shocked yelp from the back room echoes through the doorway.

“Oh hello! Hello!”

Vanessa follows the very high pitched baby speak and rounds the corner, Charity grinning over her shoulder, to find Paddy knelt on the floor, gradually getting showered in sloppy kisses courtesy of Angus. He looks up to them, looking for an explanation, smiling so wide that for a second Vanessa’s sure she’s never seen him look so happy.

“Er, what’s this then?”

“Surprise?” Charity offers as Chas rounds the table and comes to stand behind Paddy as Angus makes a fuss.

Vanessa looks to Charity, admiring for a second her giddy excitement barely concealed by her cool confidence and the way her hands slip into the back pockets of her jeans. A wink from dancing green eyes is directed her way as Chas bends down to greet Angus with a soppy smile and Vanessa feels slightly breathless as she stands there, looking from the woman she loves to the puppy too excited to chose just one person to devour with attention, to one of her best friends as he pulls himself up from the floor giggling. She can’t wait to see the kids reactions.

“Yeah it is.” Paddy nods. “A surprise, I mean.”

“Yeah, it was to me too.” Vanessa laughs, coming around to sit on the couch and Charity sits on the arm to her side. She rests a hand on Charity’s thigh and sighs.

“Well.” Charity exaggerates. “What can I say?”

_“How much?”_ She had said earlier as ‘Skye’ ignored the man trying to get her attention and instead waited for Charity to kick the rubber bone for her. _"I mean she clearly isn’t interested in you, is she?”_ She added as he had tried to get a lead around her neck.

“It wasn’t exactly easy.” Vanessa admits as she remembers his twisted face and the insults he’d thrown at Charity. “But you know what she’s like.”

“A dog with a bone.” Chas laughs as Angus drops her own bone at her feet. “And now we have a permanent dog.”

“Looks like it.” Charity nods once, decisively. She grins down at Vanessa and then looks back up to her cousin. “I’ll let you explain to Marlon.”

Chas just shakes her head fondly and Angus waits patiently as she picks up the bone for her to tug. Vanessa definitely sees the shine of tears pooling in her eyes and when Paddy rubs a hand on her back they drop quickly.

“Are you crying?” Charity stands quickly. “If you feel that strongly about it we can. I dunno.” She looks to Vanessa briefly for an answer. “I dunno we’ll sort it though.”

“Don’t be daft.” Chas sniffs thickly. “It’s these hormones init.” She waves a hand indistinctly infront of her growing belly. “She’s a good girl. And better company than some.” Her eyes flick up to Charity for a second, smiling as she does and then Paddy’s pulling her into his side and kissing her head.

“Charming.” Charity jokes but she knows her cousin was just joking and that she’s not listening anyway as Paddy mumbles in her ear. “So.” She says instead, looking down at Vanessa. “I guess we’ll need to find her a permanent place to sleep that’s not our Noah’s bed.”

-

There’s two very excited squeals that almost deafen her where she’s bobbed down trying to get the wellies off of tiny feet. She turns to see Charity stood in the door, Angus at her feet, a grin so wide she can’t be annoyed for long as Johnny and Moses tackle Angus’ with kisses and hugs and then attach themselves to their legs in turn, a jargon of excited words escaping them.

“I thought she was going to her real family?” Johnny questions seriously once they’ve ambled them all into the warmth of the backroom, eyeing Angus as she wiggles on the floor with Moses.

“She is.” Charity says softly. “That’s why she’s stayed with us.”

Johnny’s face lights up and he goes to join in on the game on the floor. Charity reaches over and grasps Vanessa’s hand, squeezing. When Vanessa goes to look at her, her eyes don’t move from the image of their boys happy play. 

“We’ll have to get her done.” Vanessa mutters quietly.

“Done?”

“Spayed.” Charity’s nose wrinkles and she looks down at the pup, chasing her tail happily as Johnny and Moses’ laughter rings out raucously.

“Oh, we can’t.”

“Would you rather we have blood all over every season?”

“We’ll when you put it like that. Good job I know a vet.”

“Oh aye?”

“Yeah. She’s drop dead gorgeous. Quite short. Has a right temper sometimes.” Vanessa elbows her in the side and she can’t help but join in with Charity’s chuckle. “Reckon she’ll do it cheap for a few favours.”

“A few favours?” Vanessa’s voice lilts in amusement and Charity looks at her softly, nodding.

“I love you, you know?” She breathes.

“Yeah.” Vanessa grins. “I love you too.”

There’s the distinct sound of Noah stomping his way towards them then and Charity gives her one excited, wide eyed glance and then straightens nervously as the door swings open behind them.

“Chas said you wanted to see me.” He grumbles.

“Surprise.” Charity says loudly as Angus gallops her way to his feet, dancing around him giddily.

“What?” Noah asks, shocked. He drops down to greet her happily and only half listens as Charity explains to him how she’d payed some man in the beer garden and that Angus was here to stay. 

Later, as the boys sit sleepily on the couch after their tea and Noah sits on the floor, Angus laid beside him, her head on his lap as he strokes her gently, and Charity and Vanessa sit side by side on the couch, Vanessa thinks that everything makes sense. Their little family, now with added Angus, is perfect and happy and, as Charity snores next to her, Vanessa doesn’t think anything could be better.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @ dinglefields


End file.
